Heavy rain brings flooding in PNG's Morobe province

Flooding from heavy rains has caused extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, food crops and livestock in Lae and other parts of Morobe province in Papua New Guinea.

The National newspaper reports Morobe administrator Manasupe Zurenuoc as saying in the Ami Sut settlement at Boundary Road in Lae, four houses were destroyed and 51 people have been left homeless as a result of a landslip.

Four people were hospitalized with injuries sustained during the landslip and the disaster office has provided tents and other relief supplies for those affected.

Meanwhile, a banana boat is reported missing near the town of Madang, following king tides.

Madang Regional MP, Sir Peter Barter, says that the boat was reported missing over the weekend in the waters off Karkar Island.

The king tides caused waves up to two metres higher than normal, flooding and battering beachfront property in Madang.